Cover for flush tank



April 10, 9 M. MICHAUD 2,741,237

COVER FOR FLUSH TANK Filed March 9, 1953 INVENTOR. Mmrzz Z. M/c/mua United States Patent COVER 1 R FLUSH TANK Myrtle L. Michaud, St. Louis Park, Minn.

Application March 9, 1953, Serial No. 341,137

3 Claims. (Cl. 150-52) This invention relates to a cover for flush tanks and more particularly to an absorbent and heat insulating device for encompassing the outer surface of a conventional flush tank.

It is an important object of the invention to provide for a cover having moisture absorbing properties which will be pleasing in appearance and easily and quickly mountable upon a flush tank for controlling the formation of atmospheric condensation thereon and for preventing the dripping of condensed moisture therefrom.

It is another object of the invention to provide for a cover of the class described which will be constructed of a flexible and yieldable cloth material having a novel construction such as to permit its application to toilet flush tanks both of the type which are secured to the wall and those which are mounted with respect to the floor and in close clearance with the wall.

It is another object of the invention to provide for a symmetrical cover having pleasing appearance which is adaptable not only to different types of flush tanks but to difierent sizes and shapes as Well while preserving the symmetry and providing for protrusion of the tank handle therethrough.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide for a covering device which is easily and quickly constructed of tubular cloth having the properties of moisture absorption and stretchability while at the same time being provided with novel gathering means for the ends thereof which will render the device easily mountable and removable upon a flush tank while maintaining its versatility of application to tanks of different forms and with handles arranged at difierent positions with respect to the tank.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 shows a flush tank cover constructed in accordance with my invention applied to a flush tank of the type which is mounted unitarily with the remainder of the toilet and in close clearance with a wall;

Fig. 2 shows the same cover when mounted upon a flush tank of the type which is fastened to the wall;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the tank and toilet arrangement shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of my flush tank cover with the draw string untied and with the elastic end restriction unfastened; and

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the same cover taken from the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 4.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, Fig. 1 shows one form of toilet combination which is in common use at the present time. The toilet comprises generally a bowl and seat portion and mounted at the rear thereof a reservoir or flush tank 11. In this particlar type of toilet arrangement, the flush tank 11 has no wall connection but instead is usually mounted in close clearance with the wall 13 as shown. All pipes and connections in 2,741,287 Patented Apr. 10, 1956 arrangement 15 is located forwardly of the flush tank 11.

My invention comprises generally the cover device C which may be secured over the top of the flush tank 11 as shown in Fig. 1 when it is used with the type of toilet there shown.

Referring now specifically to the cover, Fig. 4 shows an elevation thereof with the closures and constrictions at the ends being shown in opened position to better show the structure thereof. The body 16 of my flush tank cover is constructed of a flexible and resilient material which will have some heat insulating properties as well as the quality of absorbing moisture. A knit or woven'cloth material such as cotton jersey may be purchased in tubular form having the requisite average dimension to fit a number of sizes and shapes of flush tanks. It is understood, of course, that if a sheet material is used, it can be first formed into a tube of the comparable size and dimensions shown in Figs. 4 and 5. It is not essential that the material be extremely heavy but, if desired, the material may be doubled without decreasing the etficiency or the pleasing appearance thereof.

Having cut the tubular cloth material 16 to the proper length, I then hem the bottom edge at 17 and slit the tubular material longitudinally at 18 for a purpose to be described hereinafter. The hemmed portion 17 is then provided internally with resilient means such as elastic 19 which is securedat the corners defined by the slit 18, the corners being shown in Fig. 4 at 20 and 21. Cooperative fastening means such as the fastening elements 22;

and 23 may be likewise secured at the corners so that joining the fastening means 2223 will result in closing the elastic means 19 circumferentially of the tubular bottom or hemmed portion 17.

means 19 will thus cause the lower end portion of the cloth tube 16 to be gathered at the hem 17. Thetop of the cover device has a gathering means which operates,

cooperatively with the lower elastic means and the rest of the cover device to efiect a versatility of application as will be more fully described hereinafter. The gathering means comprises an upper hemmed edge 24 which is formed at the upper circumference of the tubular cloth, body 16 in much the same manner as the lower hem 17 was formed. A central portion, however, is removed from opposite and coinciding sides of the tubluar body 16 so as to create a rectangular cut out area 25. The bottom edges of these opposed rectangular cut outs are sewn together transveresly of the longitudinal length of the tubular body 16 as shown at 26. The sewn edge 26 is located medially of the tubular body and the side edges 27 of the rectangular opposed cut outs are left in their unattached state as shown in Fig. 4. The remainder of the hem 24 at the top of the tubular body is then supplied with a draw string 28, the free ends 29 of which extend past the edges 27 of the cut out area 25 at one side of the tubular body.

A series of orifices such as slits 30 are formed at the left side of the tubular body 16 as shown in Fig. 4. A similar symmetrical arrangement of orifices 31 may be positioned at the right side as there shown.

The elastic means 19 is necessarily of much lesser diameter than the original tubular diameter 16. The smaller diameter of the elastic.

Where it is desired to complete the symmetry, similar orifices or' ner similar to that employed in making button holes. The button hole stitching may -then be formed around the orifice and basted shut as is common in the art of suit making. Whenit is desired to use any particular orifice for the purpose of introducing the handle of'a flush tank therethrough the particular orifice or-slit which is properly positioned for the handle element 34 as shown in Fig. 1 is then opened with a knife or pair of-scissors. Although I have shown button hole type of slits arranged in longitudinal alignment and in spaced relation with each other in each of the groups as shown in'Figs. 4 and 5, it is to be understood that I may employ circular openings, square openings or any other convenient form of orifice or opening which will allow the flush tank handle 34 to project therethrough while stillmaintaining. a pleasing and decorative appearance throughout the entire, device.

In the particular application to the toilet arrangement first described and shown in Fig. l, the cover is taken as shown in Fig. 4 with the cooperative fastening eleshown in Fig. 5 being disposed to the front of the tank.

11. The ends 29 of the draw string 28 are then pulled together so as to cause the upper hemmed edges 24 to form a rosette R at the top of the tank 11. The ends 29 are then tied andthe entire device presents a cover of pleasing appearance, yet one which may be easily removed for washing the cover or for allowing access to the interior of the flush tank 11 by removing the top 35.

The fresh and cold water which supplies the tank or reservoir 11 with the correct level at each use is generally considerably colder thanthe surrounding atmospheric air. As .a consequence, the chilled exterior of flush tank 11 will lower the temperature of the surrounding air below its dew point. Moisture then forms on the outside of the tank and accumulates into droplets which will drip from the tank to the floor F upon which the toilet is positioned. The dripping moisture not only creates a nuisance but may eventually rot or deteriorate the building materials beneath the floor. The use of my cover insulates the tank 11 to a certain degree and therefore reduces the amount of condensed moisture which.

will form upon the tank. Under extreme conditions, where some moisture will form, the cover then absorbs the condensed moisture and preventsgit from dripping to the floor.

The same cover, which is disclosed in Figs. 4 and 5-, may be adapted to another conventional type of toilet as shown .in Fig.2. In this type of toilet arrangement, the tank '36 is secured to thewall 37 by fastening bolts or hooks 38 .as shown in the side view of Fig. 3. The water inlet pipe may be positioned at the bottom or may come out of the wall structure as shown at 39 in Fig. 3. The

outlet pipe 40 is positioned between the toilet bowl 41 and however, the side presented in Fig. 4 covers the lower portion .of tank 36 and the bottom rather than the back, as was the case in the first example. The resilient constriction' at. the bottom end of the tubular body 16 now occurs around the back periphery of the tank36 .as shown in Fig. 3. The pipe or conduit 40 which communicates 4 between the tank 36 and the bowl 41 must therefore be circumvented by the elastic means 19 so as to be able to grip the back portion of the tank 36. It then becomes necessary to separate the cooperating fastening elements 22 and 23 and to introduce the pipe 40 into the slit 18 after which the cooperative fasteners 22 and 23 are again united. The close elastic means will then grip the back periphery of the tank 36 in a manner similar to its gripping action with the bottom of tank 11 in the first example. Again, a suitable orifice or slit is selected according to the relative positioning of the handle 43 of tank 36 and the handle is caused to project therethrough as in the first example. In the case of the toilet arrangement shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the orifice or slit must be selected from the group numbered 33 in Fig. 5. The remaining groups of orifices or slits 30, 31 and 32 will still be arranged in symmetry and present .a pleasing design together with the rosette R which is formed centrally of the front of tank 36 in the second example. The ends 29 of the draw string 26 are again pulled together and tied as previously described. It is understood, of course, that there is considerable latitude in the degree to which the draw string 28 is pulled closed. The rosette R may thus be drawn more closely together than shown in Fig. 2 or may be allowed to present a larger oval if the string is not drawn so closely. I

It may thus be seen that I have devised an efficient and nice looking cover for flush tanks of conventional toilets, the cover being adaptable to a great variety of sizes and shapes ofv tanks as well as to the styles thereof. The cover will in all instances insulate the tank and prevent condensed moisture from dripping to the floor, it being easily and quickly removable and replaceable.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

WhatI claim is:

l. A heat insulating and moisture absorbent cover for flush tanks and the like comprising a flexible and resilient tubular body, elastic means for resiliently constricting one end of the tubular body to form a covering for an outer wall surface of said flush tank, gathering means at the other end of the tubular body constituting a flexible and adjustable closure and to form a covering forv an outer wall oppositely disposed to the first mentioned wall surface, the said tubular body having a plurality of spaced slits. formed therein one of which is adaptable to permit protrusion of the handle of a fiush tank therethrough, the cover and the closure being symmetrically positioned on the flush tank whereby the condensation-of moisture will be lessened and. the dripping of water from said flush tank prevented.

2. A heat insulating and moisture absorbent cover for fiush tanks and the like comprising a flexible and resilient tubular body, elastic means for resiliently constricting one end of the tubular body, a hemmed portion at the other end of the tubular body, having a cut away portion formed through the hem respectively at opposed sides of said tubular body, a draw string inserted through said hem and bridging one of said cut-away portions with theeuds thereof projecting through the other of said cut away areas, said tubular body' having orificial means adaptable to permit protrusion of a handle of a flush tank thercthrough whereby the cover may be symmetrically positioned upon the flush tank for controlling the condensation and dripping of water therefrom.

3. A heat insulatingand moisture absorbent coverffor I gatheringmeans in the form of a rosette and having a item and draw string for effecting said rosette and to format covering for an outer wall oppositely disposed to first mentioned wall surface, a plurality of slits formed through said tubular body, one of said slits being adapted to permit protrusion of the handle of a flush tank therethrough, said covering presenting a symmetrical appearance and further being arranged to accommodate connections and mountings of the flush tank while still covering all sides thereof.

663,306 Tompkins Dec. 4, 1900 Puste Sept. 22, 1953 

